This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the power steering failed and the steering wheel had to be turned with force to turn the vehicle. The failure was experienced numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the steering wheel torque sensor failed. The manufacturer was contacted. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V284000 (steering). The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 81,000. Consumer took the vehicle to an independent dealer and had it repair and was fine until there was transmission problem and had the car towed to the dealer.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. While driving 60 mph, the steering wheel seized and was not able to be turned. The vehicle was towed to tasca Ford seekonk (200 fall river ave, seekonk, MA 02771, (800) 737-0435) where the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 14V284000 (steering). The vehicle was currently at the dealer waiting to be diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
After completing my shopping at fred meyer, I went to start my vehicle and noticed that the power steering wasn't working. I was stationary waiting to back out of my parking space. I tried a couple of times to shut the vehicle off and restart it to see if that would fix the problem. It did not. I was able to drive home with much difficulty trying to steer, but got it home safely. I called my local Ford dealer and they told me it was probably the electric steering had gone out. I was told it will cost me around $1200 to repair. The steering column needs to be replaced. Ford has had a problem with this for a long time. I had a 2010 Ford Escape that had the same thing happen to it. I spent the money to fix that one. I really feel it is unfair that I have to repeat the same thing over again with this 2011. This is a total danger for anyone driving it and Ford needs to repair this before anyone gets seriously hurt in an accident. Ford should have to recall this vehicle and make the necessary repairs so that this does not happen again. I do ask that you intervene and make Ford recall and fix this issue. There is a recall on 2011 Ford Escapes for this, recall number 14V284000, but it does not cover the date of manufacture for my particular vehicle. This recall should include more vehicles that were manufactured at a later date.
Loss of power assisted steering. Without warning the steering wheel became very hard to turn. My wife could not turn the wheel. This happened twice. Happened during normal driving when making turns. Both times it reverted to normal operation after about 15 minutes. Consider this loss of steering a potentially very dangerous situation
When driving my car at low speeds, the power steering unit locks up randomly and unpredictably especially when attempting to make a turn. After contacting Ford about the issue, I learned that there was a large recall for Escapes from 2008-2011 made at the Kansas City plant, where my Escape was produced at according to my VIN number. However, when contacting Ford about this issue I was having, they said that my VIN did not qualify for a recall because my car was not produced in the same "batch" that the recall is for. This is a danger to both myself and the public because being unable to turn my steering wheel is a huge safety concern. After taking my car to a mechanic they explained that my steering column is broken, which appears happens fairly often to this model of Escapes.
- Malcolm, NE, USA
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The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. While driving various speeds, the steering wheel seized without warning. Once the contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, it operated normally. The contact took the vehicle to garnet Ford (1610 wilmington pike, West chester, pa 19382, (610) 358-5600) where it was diagnosed that the steering wheel failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was 140,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized more than once. The contact reset the computer by turning the vehicle off and back on; however, the failure continued to progress. In addition, the electric power steering warning indicator flashed more than once. The dealer (franklin Ford, 175 East central street, franklin, MA 02038, (508) 570-4022) was notified, but the contact had not approved them to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was excluded from NHTSA campaign number: 14V284000 (steering), although the failures were similar. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. When the driver attempted to merge into traffic, the steering wheel failed to turn right or left. The contact was able to assist the driver and drove the vehicle home; however, the steering wheel had to be turned with force to complete the turns. The contact also stated that the power steering assist failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 196,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. While driving at highway speeds, the electric power steering failed without warning and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to bob maxey Ford, Inc. (1833 E jefferson ave, detroit, mi 48207, (313) 392-9200) where it was diagnosed that the steering torque sensor needed to be replaced. The dealer indicated that the vehicle was excluded from NHTSA campaign number: 14V284000 (steering), although the failures were the same. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000.
Power steering keeps failing. Would go out anytime, turning, traveling down freeway, street, anywhere. Never kow when it would happen. Would pull over, turn off car then start it up again. And it would work again it started in may and Ford said it had problems with the steering on 2011 Ford Escapes but because my car was not made in Kansas City it wasnt included in the recall
My steering wheel assit light came on it's hard to steer my car it happened over night I had it for little over 2 years has about 85,000 miles on it got it when it had 32,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. After starting the vehicle, the power steering malfunctioned and caused the steering wheel to become very difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local independent mechanic who diagnosed that the steering wheel torque sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer (herb chambers Ford of braintree, 75 granite St, braintree, MA) and the manufacturer were both notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 14V284000(steering). The contact indicated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 111,000.
I was driving down a curvy road and my power steering goes out. I had to reduce my speed to about 15 mph to get to gas station. I turned car off and it began to work again. No check engine lights of any type came on. If I would of been going at a higher speed and it go out I could of gotten hurt. Good thing I didn't have my children in the car.
I have had at least 5 incidents where the power steering went out on my car, either while starting out or suddenly when driving, making it extremely difficult and I believe dangerous to drive safely. I found out my car fits the criteria for a recall for this exact problem (a Ford Escape, model year 2008-2011, made in Kansas City) except when I entered my VIN number to check on this on your website it did not register as such. I believe this is a mistake and should be corrected..
While on highway traveling to Chicago, my vehicle power steering failed. I could not turn the wheel without great difficulty. The power steering is electrical so cannot drive without power steering. Had to leave car stranded in springfield, Illinois at landmark Ford and pay $50 per day for rental. It is a safety recall 14S05 and has failed in hundreds of thousands of cars in the us and Canada. According to the recall information online and my calls to dealerships; my car's recall updated the software to let me know the power steering would fail. They did not replace the torque sensor which is the item that failed on the highway and made my car not operational. If your torque sensor failed prior it was replaced by Ford under the recall - if it hadn't failed by the time of the software update the recall was closed out. I have found all this out today before my car has been fixed. So Ford will not fix my torque sensor and the cost is $617 plus the rental car at $50 per day. (my car failed 5 hours from home) - I have to go pick it up when it is fixed. Since it was a safety recall and the torque sensor had not been previously replaced, and Ford knew this was a problem with 1.1 million cars, why should I have to pay for a failed faulty part? my car only has 74,000 miles and is well maintained. The car was not involved in an accident but could have been very easily. However, the car was stranded 275 miles from home and Ford will not fix the faulty part. It is a safety issue and I am very unhappy. The torque sensor, steering column or whatever parts make this car unsafe should have been taken care of under the recall. Ford needs to do the right thing. There could have been an accident and loss of lives. This is unacceptable.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. While driving in reverse, the steering seized without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle exhibited the same symptoms as listed in NHTSA campaign number: 14V284000 (steering). The vehicle was taken to don franklin Ford (576 hudson St, columbia, ky 42728, 270-384-3076) where it was diagnosed that the ECU failed and a new steering column needed to be installed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in the steering recall. The failure mileage was 106,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel seized without warning. The vehicle was able to be coasted to the side of the road. The contact powered off the engine and waited a few minutes. Once the vehicle was restarted, it operated normally. The vehicle was taken to champion Ford Volvo (2502 w 26th St, erie, pa 16506, (814) 878-2500) where it was diagnosed that the torque sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 105,410. * updated 10/26/18
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. While driving at a low speed, the steering seized without warning. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Sewell, NJ, USA